


Anything, Everything and Always (051 water)

by senoritablack



Series: big ass rickyl table [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV), The Walking Dead - All Media Types
Genre: Alexandria Safe-Zone, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-21
Updated: 2015-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-27 11:42:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5047198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/senoritablack/pseuds/senoritablack
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Canon AU where there's no drama or dying in Alexandria, but there is a swanky pool. Daryl teaches Carl how to keep his head above water and the Grimes family teach Daryl a few things of their own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anything, Everything and Always (051 water)

It was summer when he found it.

He’d actually been impressed by Washington’s heat. At 5 in the evening, it damn near rivaled the temperatures back in Georgia and it had him napping under the large oak in the middle of town, bare all but his blue jeans. He’d been getting a few wolf whistles by passerby and been rightly fed up with the teasing, so he shoved on his boots and threw his shirt over his shoulder and made for a similarly shady patch away from prying eyes. He’d gotten as far as the east wall when he saw a beat up old sign, half hidden behind English ivy. It read _community pool_ in block lettering. Grinning, Daryl got closer.

“Been months” He whispered, “…didn’t mention nothing ‘bout no pool.”

If he hadn’t been looking, he wouldn’t of noticed the entrance because branches from a nearby willow tree blocked the aluminum, double door. Daryl weaved himself around the foliage and pushed one side open, and the lights, no doubt generated by the same solar energy that lit up the houses, sprang to life.

The pool was rectangular with decorative ends painted in royal blue, and it reminded him of a did up resort in Atlanta he’d spent a summer cleaning for. It might have even been the last time he came across a pool. Despite the dirtied state of the world, this one was free of debris. The shiny, mosaic tile had no algae between them and the towels in a near by rack, coupled with the cloth lounge chairs looked freshly laundered. He wonder who was responsible for their upkeep, wondered what they’d done to get such a menial job in the scheme of things.

Across from him, he saw another set of double doors and next to them on a wall was a panel of several levers and buttons. Daryl made a bee line for it. Curious, he pulled one, but expected little. His eyes made quick work of surveying the rest of the room, confused when he heard the foreign sound of wind chimes. It was the soft clicking and motor buzzing masked behind them that convinced him to look up. The ceiling was contracting, and the sun shone from large, gold fitted, weather worn glass.

He whistled.

“Fancy.”

Daryl didn’t bother to take off his pants. He discarded his shoes and shirt once again and jumped in like he used to as a kid—with a run. The water was freezing, but he paid it no mind. It wasn’t five minutes of wading, dipping, and trying to get a hang of laps again when he heard someone gasp. He let his feet fall into the water from where they had helped him float on his back. He look around to the doors he’d not been through and there in their threshold, was a slack-jawed Carl and a wriggling, Judith at his hip.

“Dude, this is fu-“ He coughed, covering up his slip.  “Freaking awesome.” Carl finished sheepishly.

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool.” Daryl chuckled, raising a brow. “You telling me you didn’t know ‘bout this place either?”

 Carl shook his head. He dragged a chair with him as we walk closer, and after he sat, bounced a more noisier and fussier Judith at his knee. It was as if she had just gotten a good look at who Carl was talking to, him, so her hand shot out, fingers saying _gimme-gimme,_ closing and opening again.

“No, Judy, stop it. I can’t believe they held out on us!” said Carl, looking around. 

“Didn’t take you long to make yourself at home, though.” He smirked.

“Yeah, well, sign said community pool. Think 6 months makes us just bout locals.” Daryl said, waving at Judith.  “Give her here! C’mon, she’ll quiet down and you can get in too.”

Carl fell to his knees and sat Judith near the edge, holding her by the waist. It was fitting that they were near the shallow side, so Daryl swam until he could stand in front of them.

“Got her?” Carl asked, waiting for Daryl’s cue to let go.

“Yeah. Yeah I got her.”

Daryl swung Judith into him, and was rewarded with a hug round the neck and a sloppy kiss on the ear. He grinned.

“Hi to you too, sweetheart.” He said, returning a kiss to her cheek. When she wiped if off, he gave her a feigned look of outrage. But she was without remorse, and giggled at him, tut-tutted as she shook her head in disappointment.

“Oh, ok, I ‘member now!” He apologized, with kiss to the right cheek this time. He let chuckled when she patted him on the head as if he were a dog that finally got down the trick. Then he kissed her right cheek again and again until she was gasping, crazy with giggles.

“Look babe, water, you wanna play in the water?”  He broke.

“Wa’r?” She tried, looking around them in confusion. 

“Wa-ter.” He corrected.

He took caution when lowering her in, laughing sympathetically at Judith’s horror stricken face as he did, and surprised when she let out a squeal of pure joy. She splashed in his arms with a wide two-tooth grin, her eyes half-mooned and tight. He’d never seen that look on her before and if he was easily moved to tears he could of have cried.

He turned to Carl, eager to see if he’d caught the look on his baby sisters face, but Daryl saw something he didn’t expect. Carl was staring at the water with a frown. Concerned, Daryl lifted Judith from the water and he walked closer to where Carl had gotten comfortable, sat at the pool steps. 

“What’s goin on?” Daryl asked, sitting next to him.

“I never learned how to swim.” He replied pathetically. 

What Daryl almost said was “ _what kind of kid never learned how to swim,”_ but the look of heartbreak on Carl’s face stopped him right in time, reminded him that Carl was exactly the type of kid. If Carl was to learn anything now, he’d have to learn it out of necessity, just as Daryl’d done. The difference there was, Daryl had all the time as a kid but didn’t have anyone to teach him, where Carl’s got plenty of teachers--no question, but never gotten a second’s rest from running. Not before Alexandria. 

“Well, let’s go. I’ll teach ya.” Daryl said without any more thought. Carl beamed. 

“Wait, Really?”

“Yeah, really, but you gotta do as I say. Know how you like to jump the gun.” Daryl snorted.

“Yeah, exactly as you say.” Carl nodded.

 He threw off his shirt and walked into the pool, the water rising to his chest.

“So what do I do?” He asked solemnly, standing in front of Daryl and Judith. “Do I just jump in and do my best ninja moves?” 

“No you gotta learn the basics, grasshopper. ‘Member when I learned it wattn’t no walk in the park. Me and Merle’d gone fishin’, and he thought he’d snatched him up a 20 pounder, ‘cept it wasn’t no fish. Come to find out his line got snagged in rock bed. He told me walk on out & get it, but the rocks were slick with algae and when I fell the current caught me. Son of bitch didn’t try to help me, either, not until I started hollering!” Daryl said.

“No, best you learn to not be scared of water first.” He finished.

“How?” asked Carl, his head cocked to the side.

“Take a good grip on that wall there.”

Carl moved through the water as ungracefully as Daryl expected. He looked pitiful and terrified, hair in his eyes and teeth knocking together, but Daryl didn’t laugh. Judith did, though. She was still having the time of her life, taking turns cupping water in hands and slapping them on Daryl’s neck. Daryl took a cup of his own and pour it over her head, watching as she let out the a fit of giggles before he turn his attention back to Carl.

“Good, now hold on and let your legs up. Just stay calm. You don’t panic and you’re golden.”

Carl nodded silently in understanding. That part came natural to him, it seemed, so Daryl told him to start scissor kicking.

“You feel it propelling you?” Daryl asked.  
  
“Yeah, but can I stop now? This is baby stuff.” Carl sighed between kicks.

“Hey, you’re lucky I ain’t making you wear arm bands, dude! Keep going.”

After explaining the basics—how to tread, when to breath, and the types of strokes and the difference between them—Daryl even gave Carl tips on surviving a monster riptide or a fast-moving, river current like the one he came across long ago. Carl was starting to become impatient again, he could tell, but he dutifully listened to Daryl’s every word. It’d been a coincidence that it was just then that Daryl thought Carl had been relaxed and informed enough to take theory to work.

“Alright, alright quit your internal griping. Now, look closely.” 

Daryl played Judith’s newly found obsession to his advantage and guided her arms into a tiny, freestyle stroke, making sure to keep her head above the water. When Daryl let them loose, she flailed them around wildly, and let out an ear-splitting, gaggle of laughter.

Carl threw his head back.

“Seriously?” he said between laughter of his own. 

“Less you want Judith learn ‘fore you.” Daryl said causally. “Looks like she’s taking to it pretty quick too.”

At a loss, Carl smacked his lips, huffing before he mimicked the strokes his baby sister had shown him.

“Right, cup the water and push behind you. Cup the water and push.” Daryl instructed.

When he was satisfied with Carl’s technique, Daryl let him know that he was ready for a real try. Told him to start with a float, add in the kicks, and then the cupping and the pushing, told him not to forget to breathe too and just like that, he was off. Carl was swimming, making laps from one side of the shallow end to the other. He was slow and he swam in zig-zags, but the pride that Daryl felt in his chest was just the same.

Daryl raised Judith arms high, clapping together her hands.

“Right on, little man! You got it down.”

Suddenly, there was a knock. Carl panicked, flailing around before he remembered that he could stand, while Daryl and Judith both looked to the source of the sound.

“Daaaaad!” Carl groan, rolling his eyes.

“This where all the cool kids hang out?” Rick drawled.

He was leaning against a wall and watching them with a big smile on his face, half of which was hidden in shadow. Daryl looked around. He hadn’t notice the shift in the sun, not the whole time they’d been left alone in there, but then he look right out the rooftop and it was as if he could see the sky coloring a deeper shade of blue by the minute. 

“Where you been?” Daryl asked, biting the inside of his cheek. They both had jobs, Daryl knew, but he was no fool either. Any moment could mean trouble and being separated for whole days at a time gave Daryl worrying ticks he wouldn’t admit to aloud, had him biting his nails and pacing.

“Rounds, partly. Wondering where _yall_ been mostly.” Rick grinned. He walked closer and around to where his family stood in the pool. He took a seat in Carl’s forgotten fold-out and shucked off his shoes.

“We’ve been in here half the day, Dad. Daryl taught me how to swim.”

Rick shook his head like he couldn’t believe it, and smiled at Daryl.

“Oh well, hope I’m not imposing on family time, then.” Rick said amused, rolling up his pants and dipping his feet into the water. Daryl shook his head.

 “Your family.” He mumbled into Judith’s wet hand over his mouth. He kissed it and she splashed him with water. Daryl took that as his cue to hand over the kid to her father. He watched as Judith clambered up on Rick’s lap with a small smile.

“Hey, “ Rick said with an underwater kick to Daryl’s side. “Yours too.”

Daryl’s grin grew impossibly wider.

“Now for proper hellos,” Rick whispered to Judith, kissing her cheek. Hands still damp, she tugged on his lip and looked seriously into his eyes.

“Daaa, no.” She said simply. Rick recovered quick, kissing her again.

“Right, sorry sweetheart. Daryl gets right cheek, I get left.”

He shifted so she could sit comfortable on his lap.

“Carl, why don’t you show me what you’ve learned, and then get you and your sister a change of clothes and some food. Carol’s made bread pudding for desert, real eggs, thanks to them chicken’s Daryl & Aaron found on that last scout.”

Carl seemed embarrassed but Daryl knew there was part of him that relished in impressing his father, part of him who worshiped Rick’s praise. Daryl knew, because it was the same reserved excitement he saw on Carl’s face that Daryl himself felt whenever Rick was around.

“When’s the last time I told you how amazing you are, Carl?” Rick said in awe after the brief demonstration.

“I don’t know, yesterday? But we could up your quota for the month if you want.” Carl joked, making them all laugh.

He flung himself from the water, and after he put on his shirt and shoes, Rick handed him Judith and two towels.

“Wrap yourselves up. Done eating, you lie her down right after. You got until we get back to go to bed yourself.”

Carl looked at the two of them, Rick’s straight face and Daryl’s strained one, and stopped himself him from prying.

“Euuugh, I’m going before this gets weird.”

“And he’s smart.” Rick laughed.  “Goodnight, son, Judith, I love you both.”

Daryl waved and Judith, who was now slightly droopier, wobbled her lips and held her arms out for him. 

“Hug, dar? K-kiches?” she yawned.

Daryl pulled himself from the water, and happy to obliged wrapped her into a towel burrito before giving her the biggest hug.

“Good night, baby girl. Sweet dreams.” He said with light kiss to her temple. She sighed and her eyes fluttered. Just as he moved to hand Judith back to her brother, Daryl was surprised with another hug. Carl had wrapped himself around the two of them. He let Carl linger without saying anything, and brought a hand to the back of his head to bring him in closer. He could have stayed in the spot, but Carl let go.

“Thanks Daryl.” He said as turned to walk away.

“Anything, everything and always, kid.” Daryl called after him.

After the doubled doors shut behind them, Daryl turned to see Rick watching him with a smug look.

 “What?” Daryl rolled his eyes.

“Nothing. But think you forgot to say hi to me.”

“Said hi.” Daryl snorted, taking a seat beside Rick.

“No, you asked me where I was.”

Daryl turned to him, and carded his fingers through the hair behind Rick’s neck, turning them into knuckles and working out the knots below. Rick closed his eyes, and let out a lengthy, satisfied sigh.

“Hey,” Daryl said, threading his fingers back in Rick’s hair. He pulled him closer and kissed Rick slowly, softly at the corner of his smiling mouth. Rick turned his head into the caress and met Daryl’s lingering lips. They both could tasted the chlorine and Rick laughed soundlessly against him.

“Hey.” Rick, breathe, puling back but not straying too far. He pressed fingers into Daryl’s bare chest for balance, flicking and massaging a nipple for fun. Daryl’s heart skipped. 

“Hi,” Rick said again in a rush, kissing Daryl’s mouth sticky, falling lazily in small kisses across his chin and down his neck. Daryl held back his head in invitation, and Rick’s lips played with the patchy pinkend skin underneath his ear, biting and licking lightly at the new indentions. Daryl watched from tired eyes, listening to Rick moan, feeling the vibrations he set off as he sucked and slurped. When Rick withdrew, it was slowly, and it was as if he was addicted, because he left Daryl’s neck only to find it again, leaving another kiss, but even lower. Daryl welcomed Rick’s wandering mouth, knowing he’d find the purple bruises and the time to be annoyed with them some time later.

Daryl was going to suggest that they slipped inside the pool and get more comfortable, when his stomach gave a great, unmistakably hungry growl.

Rick laughed and rested his forehead on Daryl’s shoulder.

“Come on then, better tend to your needs before urges.”

“Y-you ooooowe me.” Daryl yawned in agreement.

Rick stopped him just as he made to stand, quickly cupping his chin and turning it to face him. Rick looked at him with an unfamiliar intensity, that seem carry with it tiredness and an irreparable grief, but also joy. The smile he gave Daryl said it all ready, but solemnly he took of hold of Daryl’s hand and kissed his water pruned knuckles and added, “Anything, everything, and always.”

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, can season 6 not? I just want everything to be sunshine and freaking daisies so this happened.
> 
> This is a fill for my secret not so secret prompt table I've been working on.


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